Telegraph printer



E. F. WATSON 1,870,392

TELEGRAPH PRINTER Filed Sept. 1, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l /NVNTOR E. f'.WATSON TTRNEK Aug. 9, V1932. E, F, WATSQN K 1,870,392

TBLEGRAPH PRINTER Filed Sept. l. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

/NVENTOR E F WA TS 0N A T TORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1932 .lDATNT .FFEQEEDWQRD F. WATSON, 0F LARCI-IMONT, NEU] YGRK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERCAN TELE-PHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY, A CORPORATON OF NEW YORK TELEGRAEH PRNTEEApplication led September 1, 1931. Serial No. 560,631.

'This invention relates to telegraph systems and more particularly totelegraph sj tems including recorders embodyingl a character typecarrier for printing characters in different distinctive manners.

v Recorders of this type have a common use in certain telegraph systems,such as circuits for quotation service in which it is desirable to printgroups of identifying letters in the upper part of a double line and thecorresponding quotations in the lower part.

Systems of this lrind have been operated on a live-unit code, i. e.,each character, whet ier of the upper or lower case, has required thetransmission of tive signal units7 in which case it has been necessary,as in ordinary printing telegraph systems, to send a shift signalwhenever a shift from one case to the other was desired. It is evidentthat for quotation service a shift vsional would be rcquiredIl on theaverage, for every two or three characters transmitted.

It has been proposed to adapt a sin-unit code for quotation service.ywhereby special.

' shift signals would be eliminated with a considerable sa ring in linetime. lilith such arrangement it is possible to utilize a singlesix-unit signal combination for not only selecting a position of thetype carrier, but also to determine whether the character is to beprinted in the upper portion or the lower portion of the double line.

It is an objectof the invention to utilize a signal cod'e for theselection of any one of a plurality of character types arranged ingroups on the type carrier of a recording device and at the same timefor the di iferentiation between the characters in the different groups,as by printing such characters in different rows of a multiple linecorresponding to those groups the differentiation between charactersdepending upon the selected position of the type carrier. y

Another object is 4to provide a telegraph printer capable of utilizinga. signal code for the double purpose of selecting characters forprinting and of differentiating between dgroups of characters in whichthe character tvnes. independent of their code combinati om bedistributed in any desired manner in the dierent groups without thenecessity of altering the signal code or the permutation mechanism ofthe printer.

A more specilic object of the invention is the printing of characters ina double line in response to a siii-unit code and the selection of oneof two printing hammers responsive to the selected positions of the typewheel.

in accordance with the invention no single unit pulse of the codesignals and no single permutation unit of the printer need be allottedany special function involved in the group diiferentiation between theprinter characters, the print-ing of a selected character in a certainmanner being determined solely by dilierentiating instrumentalitiesassociated with the character and the type carrier. For this purpose anyand all of the unit pulses of a signal combination may be used in theselection of a character type by the proper positioning of the typecarrier, and due to the selective control by individual means associatedwith the type and the printing mechanism associated generally with thetype carrier, the printing of the type will be performed in a.predetermined manner.

rlhus, a telegraph printer, when adapted for operation by a six-unitcode may have a type wheel with as many as sixty-four different typesarranged in two rows on its periphery and the printer is arranged forpositioning ofthe type wheel in sixty-four different positionsresponsive to siX units of selecting mechanism, each adjusted inaccordance with a` unit impulse of a six-unit signal-7 which bypermutation will provide for 64 different signal combinations. Twoprinting hammers are provided, one for each row of characters, and thetyperwheel includes means for permitting` onlyl one cf the hammers toperform its printing' operation for any particular type. Y

However, in accordance with the inventionany other manner ofditferentiating between the printed character with the necessarymechanism therefor may be arranged and such mechanism controlled bydifferentiating instrumentalities directly or indirectly associated withthe types on the type o 2oL recording device for the understanding ofthe invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detailed views of the type wheel and the printinghammers;

Fig. 5 is a developed view of a portion of the printing. face of thetype wheel; and

Figs. G-A and G-B are views showing the relations between certainelements of a selectingV unit of the recording device under marking andspacing conditions, respectively, viewed from the rear of the machine,as shown in Fig. 1.

Inasmuch as the details of the general selecting mechanism, shown in thedrawings, do not forma part of the invention, it is believed to beysufficient for a clear understanding of the invention and its operationto describe the operation of this mechanism in conjunction with thedetailed description'of parts and operations more closely related to theinvention.

Referring now to= Fig. 1, the line L includes a plurality of receivingrelays R, R-1, etc. and a transmitting station TS. The transmittingstation TS includes a transmitter T of any known type arranged for` asix-unit code, having six transmitting contacts ineluded in the linecircuit through a transmitting distributor D of the start-stop type.

The line circuit forms afcloscd loop connecting battery B through thesegments of distributor D, 'contacts of transmitter T, the windings inseries of all the relays R and back to battery. W'hen the distributor Dis in its stop position, this loop circuit ris closed by the brusharm'bridging the common ring and the marking segment MS and all thereceiving relays are operated. to marking position. Transmission isstarted whenever a circuit` .not shown, is closed in a well known mannerfor the operationof the start magnet SM which releases the brush arm ofthe distributor. Upon leaving its normal position,

' the brush arm passes over the spacing segment SS, whereby a spacingsignal is transmittedover the loop causing all the receiving relays torelease to spacing position. The brush arm thereafter passes oversegments 1, 2, 3, 4', and 6 in succession causingthe receiving .relaysto operate yin accordance with `the combination of open and closedcontacts set up inthe transmitter T. yThe brush arm finally comes to astop on the marking segment yMS again closing the loop circuit lectionof a rdesired character and for the printing of the character either inthe upper portion or in the lower portion of a double line on a printingsurface, such as a paper tape.

Vith the printer magnet PM in the marking position, as shown, a spring101, exerting a pull on pivoted lever 102, lapplies a pressure to theleft on a flutter disc 103 which in turn causes the horizontal arm 105of the flutter lever 104 to rest against the armature of the printingmagnet PM. When the first spacing signal is received, the armature ofprinting magnet PM moves to the right thereby removing the stop for thearm 105. The flutter disc 103 is fixedly mountedk on a cam drum 110,which forms a sleeve, slidably mounted on the selector shaft 111 butarranged to rotate with the shaft; thus, in response to the operation ofthe printer magnet the flutter disc 103 and withr it the cam drum move adistance to the left under the pressure of spring 101 until the lefthand end of the cam drum engages the fixed stop 112.

The selector shaft 111 is intermittently driven in a direction shown bythe arrow at its left hand end through a `friction coupling 113 andproper gearing from a constantly revolving motor shaft 114 connected toa motor, not shown; however, the shaft is prevented from rotating by astop arm 115 fastened to the cam drum 110 and the freeend of whichengages a fixed stop 116; when, as described, the cam drum 110 moves Yto the left the stop arm 115 disengages the stop 116, thus permittingthe rotation of shaft 111 and cam drum 110.

The flutter disc 103 has along itsperiphery a series of corrugations,seven 1n num-Y ber, for the purpose of fluttering the lever 104 seventimes as the disc makesone revolation, thereby ycausing the horizontalarm 105'of flutter lever 104 to move up and down; however, when due tothe signals, the

armature of the printer magnet moves to the left, the downward movementof the arm 105 is prevented and the lever 104 causes the cam drum 110 toflutter in an axial direction on f selector shaft 111 due to theinteraction between the corrugations in the flutter disc and the prongsof the lower end of lever 104. The

lution it will ass through seven eriods corresponding to the duration ofseven unit iinpulses and in each period it will be either to the rightor to the left depending upon whether the corresponding unit pulse isamarking or a spacing pulse, respectively. Upon the completion of thetransmission of an impulse series, the cam drum will have completed arevolution and, due to the marking signal then being placed on the line,the cam drum will move to the right in time for the stop arm 115 toengage the stop 116, thereby bringing the cam drum to a stop.

This fluttering operation of the cam drum 110 during a revolution inunison with received signal pulses is eective in storing up a setting onthe selecting or permutation mechanism in the printer in accordance withthe impulse combination transmitted. F or this purpose the cam drum 110carries six pairs of cam lugs, namely spacing lugs 11 to 16 and markinglugs 21 to 26, the pairs of lugs being angularly and progressivelydisplaced with respect to each other at a spacing corresponding to theangular spacing between the corrugations in liutter disc 103. Each pairof camming lugs is furthermore aligned in the axial direction with se- Ilector levers 31 to 36, which in turn cooperate with transfer levers i1to 16 for the setting of code discs 51 to 56.

The setting of the code discs from the Y movements of cam drum 110 willbe described only in connection with the first permutation unit, shownat the extreme right, which is responsive to the first impulse of asigna-l combination received from the line, since the j operations forsetting the other code discs Y are the same. In this descriptionreference will also be made to Figs. 6A and 6B which illustrate aportion of the cam drum 110 with the camming lugs 11 and 21 of the firstunit 4 and their cooperation with the associated selector lever 31 inthe marking and the spacing positions, respectively, of the cam drum110. The spacing lug 11 is placed diametrically opposite the marking lug21 on cam drum 110, but these lugs are axially displaced a smalldistance.

The selector lever 31 has a spacing projection a aligned with the lug 11when the cam drum is in spacing position and a marking projectionaligned with the lug 21 when i" the cam drum 110 is in marking position;

the spacing lug 11 will clear both projections a and Z) in markingposition, and marking lug 21 will clear both projections a and b in thespacing position ofthe cam drum. The lugs are shaped to exert a cammingaction on these projections to impart a small angular movement to theselector lever 31 about its pivoting point 120, whereby two otherprojections c and (Z on the selector lever 31 are caused to take one oftwopositions. The projections c and d cooperate with projections e andf, respectively, of thetransfer lever l1 in such a manner that, in thecase of marking, the projection Z is aligned with projection f andprojection c isoutof alignment with projection e, whereas, in the caseof spacing, projection c is aligned with pro-V j ection c and projectionl -is out of alignment with projection f. The transfer lever 41V ishinged on a bail 121 which may be raised and lowered through the roller122 from cam 123 mounted on the selector shaft 111; the transfer lever41 has a projection g fitted into a slot t cut into the periphery of thecode disc 51 for placing the disc in one of two angular positions, thedisc being rotatable about the shaft 142.

During a complete revolution of cam drum 110 the pairs of camming lugswill pass in succession before corresponding projections on the selectorlevers and due to the fluttering of the drum in response to receivedsignals the lugs will operate the selector levers into their marking orspacing position in accordance with signals received. Shortly before thecompletion of the revolution the projection on cam 123 will raise theroller 122 for an instantthereby raising the bail 121 carrying all thetransfer levers l1 to 46. With the selector lever 31 in marking positionas shown in F ig. 1, the projection d will be in the upward path ofprojection f of the transfer lever 41, thereby imparting a small angulardisplacement to the transfer lever, which in turn places the code disc51 in its marking position; with the selector lever 31 in spacingposition the projection o would be in the path of projection c of thetransfer lever thereby placing the code disc in its spacing position. Inthis manner all the code discs 51 to 56 are adjusted to their spacing ormarking positions in accordance with a received signal combination.

Each of the code discs 51 to 56 has a plurality of notches cut into itsperiphery, and the arrangement of these notches is different in all thediscs so that any one of a plurality of stop pins 130 may be selected bycorresponding settings of these discs for positioning of the type wheel140. As shown for Lone of the stop pins 130 these pins comprise astraight portion 131 which is forced into engagement with the notchedperiphery of allthe code discs by means of a spring 132; the other endof the pin 130 is pivoted at 133.

For each setting Vof the discs one of the stop pins 130 will be admittedto its inward position, due to the alignment of the notches associatedtherewith in all thek code discs, while all other stop pins will beheldout by-a raised portion on at least one of the Code-discs. The selectedstop pin thus enters into the path ofthe type wheelstop arm 141 togetherwith the type wheel 140 which is mounted on the type wheel shaft 142driven through friction clutch 143 and gearing from motor shaft 114. Thesame setting of the code discs, `which caused the selective operation ofthe lstop pin 130 referred to, is also 'instrumental in releasing thestop arm 141 with one kof the printinghammers 151l and agg;

152 ready for printing.

In the'` past only five code discs have been providedfor the selectionof stop pins, and for the complete utilization of the possiblecombinations of the five-unit code thirty two stop pinsl have beenprovided fortheY stopping kof the type wheel in thirty-two differentpositions. In accordance with the invention the sixth selecting unitassociated with the cam drum y110 is made to operate a sixth code disc,which also cooperates in the selection of the stop pins. lVith thisarrangement sixty-four selections are possible and the code discs may benotched for as many as sixty-four stop pins, whereby the type wheelmaybe stopped in sixty-four different positions. l

In the following description of the type Wheel and its associatedprinting hammers, reference will also be made to Figs. 2, y3, 4 and 5. y

As shown in F ig. 5, illustrating adeveloped portion of the printingface of the type wheel in accordance with a preferred form of theinvention the characters are arranged in two groups with letters intheupper .case and incidentals in the lower case.

The paper tape 144 is interposed in the usuall manner between thev typevwheel and the printing hammers 151 and 152 and means (not shown) areprovided for advancing the printing tape between each printingoperation; the tape is sufficiently wide to permit the printing of theupper case in a line in `the upper portion of thetape and of the lowercase in .a line in the lower portion of the tape as is usual forquotation series. An ink roller 145 engages the types on the wheel 140.

The printing hammer mounting comprisesY a. common lever 153 whichcarries at its left handend the twoprinting hammers 151 and 152, eachprovided. with a platen surface-154 and a guiding projection 155 alignedwith the` platen surface. The angular relation between the hammers 151yand 152 and the lever 153 is normally maintained, as

pins 156 of the hammers with the body portion of lever 153 under thetension of springs 157, this arrangement permitting either of theprinting hammers to be heldk back while the lever153 and the otherprinting hammer move forward for the printing of a character. Printingcam 158 is arranged to be driven Vin unison with the selector shaft 111by means not lshown and to force the printing hammers intor engagementwith the printing tape and the type wheel a ainst the tension of 'spring159 once for eaci revolution of shaft 111, the timing of this operationbeing such that it will take place shortly after the type wheel has beenpositioned for printing.

The type wheel 140 has certain configurations along its periphery whichin the referred form consists of thirty-two guiding notches 146 withintermediate pro]ections or teeth associated with the upper case andthirty-two similar notches'lll'( and teeth associated with the lowercase, adapted to prevent eitherone of the hammers from printing and topermit theother hammer to print by the placing of a notch in the path ofthe projection 155 on one of the hammers and the placing of a tooth inthe path of the projection 155 on the other hammer. When, for example, alower case character is selected, the type wheel will be stopped in oneof its sixty-four positions whereby a notch 147 will be in alignmentwith projection 155 on hammer 151; at the same time a tooth betweennotches 146 will be in the path of rojection 155 on hammer 152, so thatwhen goth hammers are advanced for printing by cam 158, the hammer 152will be stopped before its plateny surface 154 engages the printing tapeand thus will be prevented from printing a character on the upperportion of the printing tape, whereas'hammer 151 will not be stoppeduntil its platen surface 154 has brought the printing tape intoengagement with the selected type in the lower case, which consequentlyis printed on the lower portion of the tape; the printing positions ofthe hammers is shown in F ig. 4. Conversely, when a type in Vthe uppercase is selected, its associated notch 146V will admit hammer 152 forprinting on the upper portion ofthe printing tape, whereas a toothbetween notches 147 will prevent the hammer 151 from kprinting in thelower portion of the prlnting tape.

The projections 155 on ha-mmers 151 :and 1 52 inV` cooperation withtheir respectivey notches 147 and 146 `also act'to accurately center theselected character type with respect to the platen so that ,thecharacters will be `printed Vwith a. uniform spacing on the paper tape.e

e It is evidentthat the arrangement of the hammers and their movementsand the means arranged on the hammers and on the type wheel lfor theselection of one hammer for printing and the prevention of theother fromprinting may be modified in many ways to serve the same purpose withouta deparuture from the scope of the invention. Thus, either the two setsof notches may he displaced with respect to each other and thecooperating projections on the hammers aligned, or the ynotches may bealigned and the projections on the hammers displaced; it is alsopossible to arrange 'projections or indentations or other formsofalternating selecting. coniigurations for the hammers in a single row sothat the projection on one hammer for a given position is aligned withone portion of the row and the projection'of the other hammer with analternateportion of the saine row whereby one hammer may he admitted forprinting'and the other prevented from printing.

What is claimed is:

.1. A character recording device responsive to permutation signalsffroma line circuit for printing of characters one at a time in differentlyaligned portions of a multiple line of said multiple line as selected hysaid translation.

2. A character recording device responsive to permutation signals fromaline circuit for printing of characters one at a time in twodiiferently aligned portions of a double line of print without separateshift operations or shift signals, which comprises a type carrier havinga 'plurality-v of character types arranged in a. plurality ofangularlydisplaced positions and in two axially displaced positions, commonpermutation means for translation'of a signal simultaneously intoangularly and axially displaced printing positions of said charactertypes. and means .for striking a character type selected by saidtranslation for printing in either one of the differently alignedportions of said multiple lin as selectedhy. said translation.

3. A character recording device and a line circuit for impressingcurrent variations in accordance with a permutation code upon saiddevice, said device being adapted to record characters in a double lineof print in accordance with said code withoutthe use of shift signalsand said device comprising a rotating type carrier having two rows ofcharacter types arranged in a plurality of printing positions, printingmeans for strik- Ving one type at a time for printing of characters in adouble line ot' print, a plurality'of permutation units responsive tosaid impressed current variations and a pluralityu of control meansindividual to said printingy positions and adapted to be selected bysaid plurality o f permutation units for determining the printingpositions of said type carrier and the row of characters to be presented,A

for printing.

4. A character recording device connected to a line circuit andcomprising a plurality of selecting units responsive successively tocurrent variations composing a character code signal in said linecircuit, an intermittently rotating type carrier, a plurality of typecarrier control means individually responsive to the'selective settingof all of said selecting units for starting the rotation of said carrierand for stopping said carrier in any one of a plurality of angularprinting positions, character types on said carrier aligned for printingin said printing positions and arranged in two rows axially displaced,printing control means adapted to move in unison with said type 'carrierhavingl configurations of two characteristics corresponding to differentprinting positions of said type carrier, and printing means adapted forstroking a type aligned for printing in either one of said rows inaccordance-with the coniiguration presented by said control means forthe selected position of said typecarrier.

`5. A character recording device in accordance with claim 4; inwhich'said printing control means are integral with said intermittentlyrotating type carrier.

6. A telegraph printer comprising a type carrier having a plurality ofprinting positions, a plurality ofcharacter types on said carrierarranged in two different rows and platen means adapted for striking atype in either one of said two rows for printing on a surface, said typecarrier comprising printing control means adapted to cooperate with saidplaten means for print-ing only one character at ay time, the row inwhich printing takes place being determined hy the coniiguration of saidprinting control means corresponding to a selected printing position.

7. AV telegraph printer inaccordance with claim 6 in which said printingcontrol means comprises a plurality of alternating projections andrecesses aligned alongside of said rows of character types to cooperatewith said platen means for respectively preventing and permittingprinting of characters in vone of said'rows in accordance with aselected printing position.

8. A telegraph printer in accordance with claim 6 in which said platenmeans comprises a platen surface for covering individual types in one ofsaid rows and another platen surface for covering individual types inthe other row for the purpose of printing,

iis

one of said surfaces being out of alignment and the other in alignmentwith a typey in ytheir respective rows in any one printing types in saidrows and cooperating with said printing means to prevent printing inmore than one row at a time.

10. In a telegraph printer a rotating type carrier having charactersarranged in two groups, two printing hammers, common means for operatingsaid hammers for printing, and selecting means associated with andmovable/in unison with said type carrier for ,causing only one hammer toprint characters arranged in one of said groups and for causing only theotherhammer to print characters in the other of said groups.

11. In a telegraph printer a type wheel having a plurality of printingApositions,` a plurality of characters on said type wheel arranged in twodifferent lines, the Vcharacters in one line being centeredin evenprinting positions onlyr and the characters in the other line beingcentered in odd printing positions only, platen means for printing saidcharacters in two different alignments on a printing surface, saidplaten means comprising two yieldably connected'printing hammers,andcommon means for the operation of said hammers-said type wheel havingmeans for selecting one or the other of said printing hammers forprinting in accordance with the even or odd position of said type wheel.

12. In a telegraph printer a4 type wheel .having characters arranged ina plurality of printing positions, aplurality of printing hammersaligned for printing ofcharacters in any one of said positions andselecting means associa-ted with and movable in unison with said typewheel for admitting said hammers one at a'time for printing inaccordance with the selected positions ofsaid type wheel.

13. VIn a telegraph printer a rotatable type` carrier having typesarranged in a. plurality of groups, a plurality of yieldable Aprintinghammers, common operatingmeans for said hammers and restraining meansconnected with said type wheel for selecting'any oneV of said-hammersfor printing inn accordance with different angular positions of saidtype v wheel.

14. In a telegraph printer a rotatable type carrier, a plurality of4types arranged in two groups on said carrier, ,a kpair of type ham-Amers each adapted to press against the corresponding group of types,means orsimul- :7

taneously operating both hammers, said hammers being yieldably mountedon said operating means, and selecting means integral with said typewheelsfor causingy one hammer to yield without printing and forpermitting the other hammer to print.

y 15. telegraph tape printer of the startstop type for recording on a.tape upper `and lower casetypes in two different rows, re-

spectively, of a double printing line in sponse to six-unit code signalsreceived from a line circuit and without shift signals which comprises aseries of six selecting units successively responsive to a code signll,an intermittently rotating type carrier having upper and lower casetypes arranged inV two separate rows, the printing positions of saidvcarrier for the uppercase being intermediate those for the lower case,a plurality of carrier control means individually respon-.:I

sive to said six selecting units for positioning said carrier in aplurality of upper and lower case printing positions, twoF yieldablymountedV printing platens, one for the upper case and one for the lowercase, each having a guide projection, means for efecting printingengagement between said `platetns and said type 'carrienan'd means onsaidtype carrier for selection lof one or the other platen yfor printingcomprising a plurality of vobstruct-ing portions of said carrier for`preventing printing engagement between one or the other platen and atype in upper orlower rcase j printing positions, respedivoly, md alsocomprising cut-outs between midkob'- structing portions for registeringwith said guiding projections to permit an unobstructed platen-to' comeinto printing engagement with a type in the lower or upper case,respectively, said cut-outs being aligned with said types of aid in thecentering of a selected type with respect to the platen selected vforprinting. f

16. A codeY signaling system comprising a 5 gurations associated withsaid type carrier for controlling said printing mechanism to print inany position of said carrier, a, character with a Characteristicdetermined by the 5 ooniiguration of said control means associated Withthe position of said type carrier.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this28th day of August, 1931.

EDWARD F. WATso1\i.y

